


Forest

by Rebel_Dino



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Abstract, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Birds, Dark, Forests, Gen, Mystery, Nature, One Shot, Plants, Self-Reflection, Short One Shot, Trees, Unspecified Setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:13:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24872851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebel_Dino/pseuds/Rebel_Dino
Summary: Roman was walking through a forest and came to a realization.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Kudos: 5





	Forest

Roman was walking through a forest.

Light filtered through the broad leaves of the trees overhead and cascaded down in gentle shafts to illuminate the various underbrush. The soft twitters of birds could be heard from among the branches along with the rustle of other small creatures amongst the greenery. A gentle spring breeze sent the rich scent of earth and growth to whoever had to pleasure to witness it. The forest was beautiful.

Roman was struggling.

His breath came out in short, desperate gasps. The sword he had been wielding confidently not so long ago now hung limply from his hand. Its dragging along the soil left a light wavering line that trailed after the weakened prince. Vines slapped against his boots, threatening to tangle his feet and fell him for once and for all. Roman made the slightest of glances behind him before continuing his pitiful slog through the forest with no visible destination in sight. But nevertheless, he had to keep fighting. He, Roman, was going to keep on going because!... Because...

Why should he keep going? What was he moving toward? Away from? There was nothing behind him, he knew that, and there was almost certainly nothing the direction he was headed nor in any other direction either. There was no person he was fighting for, _they_ had made sure of _that_. So why was he still moving? There was no point to this anymore, there was no point to anything anymore! It would be so much better if he just 

_Stopped_.

Roman stopped in the middle of the forest. He had been midstride, so it had been as simple for him as to bring his left leg up to his right and just leave them both in the dirt. The constant rasping of his sword on the ground had finally ceased, not that he had noticed the sound at all among the constant buzz of the forest. Roman tilted his head downwards toward his feet, allowing his hair to fall into his eyes a bit and obscure his vision. Then he simply breathed, and was still. 

Roman stood for hours. The hours turned into days, days into weeks, weeks into years, and so on and so on into eternity. He was not a statue, but he might as well have been. Nothing changed about Roman except before his shallow and slow breaths that eventually weakened and became farther and farther apart until one day they ceased altogether, leaving Roman's thoughts solely on the forest. 

He had not noticed it at first due to his breathing, but now that he had stopped Roman noticed the forest was completely silent. There was no twittering of birds or rustling of the small creatures amongst the leaves. Now that he was aware of it, there were other things too. There was no breeze with the scent of earth and growth, no gentle cascade of sunlight between the leaves, and no real warmth to the forest anymore. It was as cold and impersonal as a photograph.

It had not escaped Roman that the forest was beautiful when he had begun marching through it. It had merely been one of the less important things on his mind. The forest's beauty had never been more apparent to him then now, when he became acutely aware of it's lack of it.

 _Why should he keep going?_ Roman finally had an answer. It wasn't because of something behind or for a destination ahead. It wasn't even for Patton, Logan, anybody. Roman loved exploring, loved adventuring, loved the forest. He should keep going for _Roman_.

Jolted into action by a sudden twitch of his muscles, he raised his hand to his brow and swept his bangs out of his face. With his other hand, he tucked his sword into his belt proper, something he had neglected to do before. Roman paused and then shuffled his right foot forward, and then the left.

Right, left. Right, left. With each step, his stride lengthened, his footing more sure. Roman could begin to hear the faint sounds of birds, feel the breeze start to caress his cheek, and sense of the warmth and sweet, sweet _life_ of the forest begin to return. 

Pretty soon he was flat out running, chest heaving, cheeks flushing, leaping over any small obstacles in his path. The tears at the corner of his eyes blurred his vision, but for the first time in a long time, Roman was smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write another sort of abstract/reflection piece and the idea of Roman walking through a forest popped into my head, so here you go. I hope you all are safe and happy wherever you may be and that this story brings a little enjoyment in your day. Please don't be afraid to leave criticism in the comments, I'd love to hear what you think I could do to improve! :)


End file.
